General Policy

Undergraduate admission and readmission decisions are made by the Office of Enrollment Services based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, academic records, scores on standardized tests (ACT and SAT), an analysis of the application for admission, prior enrollments, lapses in enrollment, relevant character or conduct records, and other criteria as may be relevant. Mississippi College seeks to admit students whose academic preparation and background, personal characteristics, behavior, conduct, and cooperative spirit indicate that they would profit from and contribute positively to the life of a Christian university community.

Mississippi College reserves the right to deny admission to any applicant without assigning reason and to reject any applicant, rescind admission, or discontinue a student’s continued enrollment if (i) between the date of an application and the start of classes there is a change in the condition or status of any information provided by the applicant that would have been a basis for denying the application when it was reviewed by the Admission Committee or (ii) any information provided by an applicant proves to be untrue at the time of its submission.

Mississippi College complies with all applicable federal and state nondiscrimination laws, and does not engage in prohibited discrimination on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, age, genetic information, veteran status, or disability in admissions and employment. As a religiously affiliated university, Mississippi College is exempt from certain provisions of some nondiscrimination laws. Inquiries and complaints should be directed to the Vice President for Advancement and Legal Counsel to the President (MC Box 4005, Clinton, MS 39058).

All applicants must complete an application online at www.mc.edu/apply. Completed applications should be returned to the Office of Enrollment Services by August 15 for the fall term, between September 15 and January 1 for the spring term, and two weeks prior to registration for each summer term. Early application is encouraged because decisions regarding admission are made on a rolling basis as applications are received.

Applicants must have documented evidence of having had the MMR within the last ten years or evidence of having had two immunizations if they were born on or after January 1, 1957. These must have been given after their first birthday.

Information furnished to Mississippi College must be true and accurate; the withholding of pertinent information or the furnishing of false information may result in denial of admission or in dismissal.

FRESHMEN ADMISSION

In addition to submitting the completed application, prospective freshmen must have satisfactorily completed the graduation requirements of an approved high school. Applicants who have not completed high school will be considered upon achieving passing scores on the General Education Development test (GED). Home schooled applicants must meet the same requirements as other freshmen. Each home schooled applicant must submit a self-reported transcript that demonstrates completion of a high school equivalent curriculum. Mississippi College reserves the right to require additional proof of academic achievement determined by the Dean for Enrollment Services.

Transcripts. An official transcript of all high school work completed to date delivered to the Office of Enrollment Services; this transcript must either be mailed from the high school directly or hand delivered by the student in a sealed envelope from the high school. Upon graduation, applicants must have a final transcript sent to the Office of Enrollment Services, showing date of graduation, signature by the school official and/or an official seal.

Test Scores. Official ACT or SAT scores for all applicants who graduated from high school within the last five years must be mailed to the Office of Enrollment Services directly from ACT or SAT headquarters or from the student’s high school. Score reports brought by the applicant are not acceptable. A minimum composite score of 18 on the American College Test (ACT), or a comparable combined score on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), is required.

Mumps, Measles, and Rubella (MMR) Immunization Certificate. Immunization record must verify two MMR shots within the student’s lifetime or one within the last 10 years.

Housing. Students seeking campus housing are required to log in to the online housing portal after they have been accepted. Here they will pay a non-refundable $100 fee and reserve a residence hall room.

Temporary Permit to Register

Applicants who decide to attend Mississippi College that have met the required criteria but still have an incomplete admission file will have the opportunity to register for classes under a temporary permit. Required criteria are the conviction question, signature, and Bursar’s Office clearance. The applicant must have an overall cumulative GPA of C (2.00) on all work attempted. The applicant will complete the Request for Temporary Permit to Register form in the Office of Enrollment Services. No financial aid will be applied to the student’s account until their file has been completed. If the applicant does not complete their file, they will be withdrawn from classes (on the last day to withdraw with 100% refund) and a hold will be placed on their file until the admissions process is completed.

Early Admission

Outstanding secondary school students who choose to enter college before graduation will be considered for admission upon completion of the junior year. Application by each student must be supported by a composite ACT score of 24, or a comparable SAT score, a B average on all work attempted, and a recommendation from the high school guidance counselor. A student who has completed seven semesters of high school work with a composite ACT score of 21, or a comparable SAT score, and has a C average and a recommendation from the high school counselor may apply. In addition, Early Admission students are required to meet with the Vice President for Academic Affairs before being accepted to Mississippi College.

Restricted Admission for Freshmen

Standard admission to Mississippi College is based upon an ACT score of an 18 or higher (or the SAT equivalent). Students with a 17 ACT (or SAT equivalent) may be admitted on a restricted admission status if high school records indicate an ability to do college work. If admitted, these students will be required to participate in the Developmental Studies Program and will be admitted on restricted admission. The following classes must be completed before restricted admission can be lifted: ENG 100, IDS 111, MAT 100, and IDS 112. At the completion of 24 semester hours, which includes the required developmental studies classes, if the student has not achieved an overall 2.00 or higher GPA, the student will be suspended.

TRANSFER ADMISSION

The Office of Enrollment Services will consider community/junior college graduates and transfer students whose transcripts indicate eligibility to return immediately to the school last attended and whose grades show evidence of ability to do college level work. A student is considered a transfer student after 12 semester hours have been successfully completed (2.00 average on a 4.00 system is considered successful) at a regionally accredited institution. Courses must be comparable to courses offered at Mississippi College (See Grades Transferred from Another Institution).

If a transfer student does not have 12 transferable credit hours, they will be subject to freshmen admission standards (ACT score requirements and high school transcript). If a transfer student has less than 12 transferable credit hours and less than a 2.0 GPA, the Director of Admission will evaluate the student’s academic history to determine the admission status of the transfer applicant.

All candidates for transfer admission should submit the following:

Application. A completed application - www.mc.edu/apply.

Transcripts. Official transcripts from all colleges attended to date mailed to the Office of Enrollment Services directly from each college attended. Transcripts can be mailed physically or sent electronically through these approved transcript services: Scrip-Safe, Parchment Exchange, and Credentials Solutions. Student copies are not acceptable.

Mumps, Measles and Rubella (MMR) Immunization Certificate. Immunization record must verify two MMR shots within the student’s lifetime or one within the last 10 years.

Housing. Students seeking campus housing are required to log on to the online housing portal after they have been accepted. Here they will pay a non-refundable $100 fee and reserve a residence hall room.

Transfer students should know the following:

Credit from Junior/Community College. Sixty-five hours applied towards graduation from Mississippi College must be earned at a senior college, regardless of the number of semester hours taken at the junior/community college level. This means that the maximum number of semester hours from a junior/community college that can be applied toward a degree at Mississippi College is 65.

Grades Transferred from Another Institution. Grades earned on transfer work from other institutions will be shown on the permanent record at Mississippi College but will not be used in calculating the grade point average at Mississippi College.

Mississippi College considers transfer credits earned at regionally-accredited institutions that are comparable to courses offered at the University and in which the student has earned a grade of C or higher. Credit for course work with a grade of C or higher from institutions that are not regionally accredited will be considered for transfer after the student has earned a minimum of 15 semester hours with a 2.0 grade point average at Mississippi College and where such credit represents course work relevant to the degree sought, with course content and level of instruction resulting in student competencies at least equivalent to those of students enrolled at Mississippi College. Grades of D may be transferred if the grades earned on other courses accepted for transfer from that institution pull the average up to C level.

Dual Enrollment. Students may not be simultaneously enrolled at Mississippi College and any other institution. Special permission for dual enrollment may be granted only by appeal to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Approval to Take Courses at Other Institutions. Once enrolled at Mississippi College, a student must have prior approval of any course to be taken elsewhere for credit at Mississippi College. A form for this purpose is available online and in the Office of the Registrar.

Required Hours Taken at Mississippi College. The last 33 semester hours must be taken in residence at Mississippi College. A minimum of 12 semester hours must be taken at Mississippi College in the student’s major field and 6 hours in the minor; but not more than 45 semester hours may be transferred for credit toward a bachelor’s degree on a major in any department. Mississippi College limits academic residency to no more than twenty-five percent of the degree requirements for all undergraduate degrees for active-duty service members. Academic residency can be completed at any time while active-duty service members are enrolled. Reservists and National Guardsmen on active-duty are covered in the same manner.

Transfer Credit

All entering transfer students must provide transcripts of all prior college/university work; these transcripts will be evaluated as promptly as possible by the Office of the Registrar. (See Grades Transferred from Another Institution)

Once enrolled at Mississippi College, a student must have prior approval of any course to be taken elsewhere for credit at Mississippi College. A form for this purpose is available from the Office of the Registrar.

Restricted Admission for Transfer Students

Students who have accumulated a deficit of 15 to 29 grade points from the last institution(s) attended will be considered for admission to Mississippi College on restricted admission. Also, those students who have been suspended from their previous institutions and have sat out of school the required amount of time may be admitted to Mississippi College by the Committee on Enrollment Appeals on a restricted admission status. Restricted admission students must earn a 2.00 grade point average on their first 15 hours, and the 15 hours may be taken in one semester or over several semesters. Earning a 2.00 grade point average over the first 15 hours will result in the lifting of the restricted admission status; failure to earn a 2.00 grade point average over the first 15 hours will result in suspension from Mississippi College. The Committee on Enrollment Appeals will not address an appeal for a suspended student for a minimum of one year after the student was dismissed.

Readmitted Students

A former Mississippi College student (one who was not registered during the preceding regular semester) must apply for readmission through the Office of Enrollment Services.

Application. A completed application - www.mc.edu/apply.

Transcripts. Transcripts from all colleges attended since the time that the student has been enrolled at Mississippi College must be mailed directly to the Office of Enrollment Services from the colleges attended. Student copies are not acceptable. Students readmitted to Mississippi College after a five-year interval may be required to repeat courses if there have been significant changes in course content.

A non-refundable $100 housing fee is required if the applicant desires campus housing.

Readmission on Academic Probation

Students who have previously attended Mississippi College, were suspended, and have been readmitted by the Committee on Enrollment Appeals, will be admitted on academic probation. Students readmitted on academic probation must improve their cumulative grade point average to at least a 2.0 within two full-time semesters or four part-time semesters. At the end of that time frame, if the student has not earned a cumulative 2.0 grade point average, they will not be allowed to continue study at Mississippi College. An appeal will not be heard again for a minimum period of one year. (See Right of Appeal for Academic Suspension section of the Undergraduate Catalog.)

NOTE: If a student is suspended more than two times from Mississippi College, it is highly unlikely that the student will be given another opportunity to study at Mississippi College.

ACCELERATED DEGREE PROGRAM

The Accelerated Degree Program (ADP) is designed for students who wish to complete a degree at night or online in the areas of business, accounting, finance, marketing, communication or sociology. Students wishing to enter the program must be night or online students and be admissible through regular admissions standards. However, a student is considered transfer student in the ADP program after 12 semester hours have been successfully completed (2.00 average on a 4.00 system is considered successful) at a regionally accredited institution. The format of the program is eight week sessions.

NON-DEGREE UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSION

A non-degree student is one who is not working toward a degree. Although credit is given for passing work, the credit is not applied toward a degree. If a non-degree student desires at a later time to pursue a degree, application as a regular student must be made. If the student is admitted as a regular student, the University will determine whether work taken as a non-degree student will be acceptable toward meeting degree requirements.

A non-degree student is expected to abide by the rules and standards of Mississippi College. A non-degree student may be admitted to Mississippi College with an official transcript from the last university attended (if applicable).

Non-degree applicants must provide the following:

Application. A completed application - www.mc.edu/apply.

Transcripts and ACT. Freshman applicants must have an official high school transcript mailed directly to the Office of Enrollment Services from the high school attended. Applicants who have not completed high school must have an official high school transcript mailed directly to the Office of Enrollment Services from the high school attended along with an official ACT score and a letter of recommendation from their high school counselor. ACT Score required if Freshman graduated within the last five years.

College Transcript. Official transcripts from all colleges attended to date mailed to the Office of Enrollment Services directly from each college attended. Transcripts can be mailed physically or sent electronically through these approved transcript services: Scrip-Safe, Parchment Exchange, and Credentials Solutions. Student copies are not acceptable.

Mumps, Measles and Rubella Immunization Certificate. Immunization record must verify two MMR shots within the student’s lifetime or one within the last 10 years.

APPEALS FOR ADMISSION

Right of Appeal for Academic Suspension

Undergraduate students placed on Academic Suspension may appeal through an appeals process that originates in the Office for the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA). The VPAA office will determine if the appeal will be reviewed. A successful appeal will return the student to Academic Probation with number of semesters on probation determined by the appeals body. A status of academic probation or academic suspension becomes a part of the student’s permanent record. Students who have previously attended MC, were suspended, and have been readmitted by the Committee on Enrollment Appeals, will be admitted on Academic Probation and follow the above process.

Right of Appeal for Readmission after Academic Suspension

Any undergraduate student who is suspended for academic reasons has the right of appeal for readmission to the Enrollment Appeals Committee. This committee will consider each case on its merits, taking into account the full academic record, the student’s rate of progress in making up deficiencies, and any special circumstances that might reflect on the student’s ability and readiness to do acceptable university-level work. One who is readmitted on appeal will be placed on Academic Probation and will have up to two full-time semesters or four part-time semesters to improve his/her cumulative grade point average to 2.00. If the student fails to raise his/her cumulative GPA to 2.0 in the time allowed, the student will be suspended a second time and an appeal will not be heard for at least one year. Inquiries about this policy and appeals process should be directed to the Vice President for Academic Affairs (MC Box 4002, Clinton, MS 39058).

Right of Appeal for Denial of Admission

In the event a student is denied Admission to Mississippi College or has their admission revoked prior to matriculation, the student may appeal the decision through a formal appeal process. Inquiries about this process should be directed to the Office of Enrollment Services (MC Box 4026, Clinton, MS 39058).

Applicants denied admission are not eligible to reapply for one calendar year from the date of the unsuccessful application.

International Student Admission

A prospective international student applying for admission as an undergraduate to Mississippi College must provide the following:

Mississippi College offers three types of admission to international undergraduate: general admission, conditional admission, and Link program.

·General Admission: Students can apply for admission to an academic program and meet the English proficiency requirements using TOEFL or IELTS scores. If students can submit an original TOEFL IBT score of 69 or an original IELTS score of 5.5, then the requirement to take the institution’s English proficiency exam will be waived. Original scores or certified/attested copy must be sent directly to the Office of Global Education at Mississippi College either from the testing service or from a partner agency in order to be considered for general admission.

·Conditional Admission: Students who want to apply for admission to an academic program without TOEFL or IELTS scores and meet the minimal requirements for academic admission will be ‘conditionally’ admitted based on the ability to demonstrate English proficiency upon arrival to the university. The student can do this in two ways: 1) make a passing score on the institution’s English proficiency exam upon arrival to the university, or 2) enroll and graduate from the institution’s Intensive English Program. Once the student demonstrates English proficiency, he or she will be allowed to meet their academic adviser and enroll in their academic course of study.

·Link Program: This program is a transition between full-time language instruction in IEP and full-time academic classes. International students who qualify for this program are those who have an advanced-high language proficiency level for IEP, but who have not met the general admissions English language proficiency requirement. These students are permitted to take limited academic courses along with pre-selected English language assistance courses. Students will be admitted into the Link program if they can submit an original TOEFL IBT score of 65-68 or an original IELTS score of 5.0 and/or successful completion of previous language instruction, which includes those taken from MC or other acceptable institutions. Conditionally admitted students may also be admitted to the Link based on their performance on the Intensive English Program’s Placement Exam.

A financial statement indicating ability to finance study during one year at Mississippi College. The applicant must provide evidence of sufficient financial support for tuition, educational supplies, and personal living expenses such as transportation, vacation room and board. There are approximately sixty days in the calendar year (vacations and semester breaks) for which on campus residential accommodations are not available. Students must decide if they will be in residence halls during these periods. Additional charges for residence halls during vacations and semester break periods will apply. Please contact the Office of Global Education to determine the current amount required.

A $40.00 non refundable Application fee is required. The application fee will increase to $60 one month before the deadline. This fee may be paid by bank draft, personal check, or paid by credit/debit card through Flywire (www.flywire.com).

Transcripts of all high school and college grades with literal translations into English. Students attempting to transfer credits received in secondary degrees or courses completed at universities outside the United States must request a Course-by-Course Report from a credential evaluation service. The services Mississippi College uses are:

The student must pay for the evaluation. Transcripts from institutions located in the United States must be mailed from these institutions directly to the Office of Global Education at Mississippi College.

International students should visit the Office of Global Education’s website (www.mc.edu/international) for details concerning admission requirements before contacting the Office of Global Education..

Students will be required to purchase health insurance each year through the University. The policy will provide medical, medical evacuation, and repatriation coverage with Mississippi College as the trustee beneficiary.

Before arrival at Mississippi College, the applicant must be tested for tuberculosis and immunized against measles/mumps/rubella (MMR). To ensure compliance with Mississippi State Department of Health regulations, Mississippi College will also require international students to submit proof of test screening for tuberculosis by chest x-ray and interferon gamma release assays (IGRA) performed in the United States after their arrival and prior to the start of classes. These test results must be submitted to the MC Office of Global Education before the start of classes. Costs for all TB testing will be paid by the student.

An international student who holds an F-1 student visa is required to carry a full course of study in the fall and spring semesters. A full-time undergraduate course load is twelve (12) credit hours.

All tuition and fees are expected to be paid at the time of registration. Installment payment privileges are not available.

An international student is required to be enrolled as a full-time student (twelve semester hours) during each semester in order to maintain student (F-1) visa status.